Friday, September 14
Boulder, CO
7:00 PM
Colorado
6-3
3
vs
0
Portland State
1-9
1
2
3
F
Portland State
11
16
19
0
Colorado
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics
Team Play Leads Buffs to Sweep Vikings
September 14, 2018 | Volleyball
BOULDER, Colo. — The University of Colorado volleyball team swept Portland State University tonight in dominant fashion. The team had four players with seven or more kills and hit .316, the fourth-best mark this season. The Buffs return to action in the 2018 Colorado Classic tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. against Indiana State, followed up by the marquee matchup against Colorado State University at 8 p.m. Tomorrow mornings match will have $2 coffee and muffins for all fans, while the evening match is 'Wear Black'.
For the first time this season the Buffs were at full force. Senior Naghede Abu was dominate in her season opener, leading the team with a .468 hitting percentage with seven kills. Justine Spann continued her breakout season with a match-high 11 kills and hitting .450. The Smith duo also performed well, as Anyse Smith had eight kills and Alexa Smith had seven.
Freshman setter Jenna Ewert had a career-night, picking up three aces while also posting her third double-double of the season with 17 assists and 11 digs. Brynna DeLuzio added in 15 assists, nine digs and an ace, as well as the match-winning kill.
On the defensive end of the court, Gabby Carta-Samuels returned for the Buffs for the first time in two weeks. She led the team with 14 digs, while also adding in seven assists. Up front, Abu led with a pair of blocks, while Alexa Smith had a solo block and Spann had a block assist. The Buffs dominated the defensive end, holding the Vikings to just a .049 hitting percentage, including tying a season-best .000 opponent hitting percentage in the first set. Only Toni McDougald had a hitting percentage greater than .100 for Portland State at .156.
Tomorrow evenings matchup is looking to be a tightly contested match, as Colorado State swept Indiana State tonight in Fort Collins. The Buffs will need to defend home court against a mob of Rams that will be seeking revenge from last season's comeback defeat in Fort Collins.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET 1: The Buffs charged out to a quick 7-3 lead. The Buffs would go on a seven-point run to 14-4 before the Vikings scored again. Colorado continued to roll, jumping out to a 17-6 lead. The set was quickly a blow out, with the Buffs facing set point at 24-10. CU finished off the first set 25-11. CU was dominate with a .419 hitting percentage in the set, the second-largest of the season. They also held the Vikings to .000 hitting percentage, tying another season-best. Justine Spann led with five kills and a .500 hitting percentage.
SET 2: The second set came out closer, with teams trading points to a 9-8 CU lead. The Buffs went on a four-point run to force a Vikings timeout. Out of the timeout Portland State rallied back to a 13-12 match, though it was short-lived as CU went on a four-point run of its own to get to 17-12 and another PSU timeout. Colorado hit set-point at 24-16, finishing it off with a Naghede Abu kill.
SET 3: With Gabby Carta-Samuels in at libero for the first time in two weeks and Naghede Abu in at middle, the Buffs looked to be at full force for the first time this season. The Vikings came out in the third set looking to not be swept, bringing the score to a 5-4 CU lead. A quick ace from Jenna Ewert and a kill by Alexa Smith showed the Buffs were charging. CU went on an eight-point unanswered run, then kept it going into a 12-1 run with a 17-5 lead. Ewert picked up her third double-double of the season, leading the Buffs to a 22-13 lead as the team was able to begin subbing in everyone on the team. Freshman Taylor deProsse found her first action of the season, notching a dig in the final set. CU hit match point at 24-16, finishing off the match with a kill from setter Brynna DeLuzio.
QUOTABLES:
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney
On having almost entire squad healthy for the first time this season
It was good. It's nice to have Naghede back as that was her first match this season, knocking off some rust and she got better as the match went on, that was really good to see. It was nice to have Danielle Price back, she's been gone for a couple weekends recovering. We are getting back into a rhythm and definitely like you said nice to have everyone back but still working to get better.
On takeaways that are going to be carried on for the rest of the weekend
From tonight's match I thought we served particularly well and kept them out of system quite a bit. I thought we passed very well for the most part, with the offense that we are running right now in the 6-2 especially with Naghede back we have a lot of options. You can see we spread it around. We had one player in double figures with kills which sounds like a bad thing but it's actually a good thing. We have a lot of kids taking swings so it's tough for opposing teams to key on to one player.
On worries and expectations for tomorrows long day and the match against Colorado State
Tournaments like this we have a late night and the quick turn arounds. Get up and watch film and play at 10 that's always tough, and the toughest opponent of the weekend is tomorrow night. But we can't look ahead. Indiana State is a good team, and we will have to play well. Try to manage making sure everyone's fresh for tomorrows match in the morning and then certainly for tomorrow night.
Senior Naghede Abu
On being back out there playing first game back with 7 kills, leading the team in blocks and hitting percentage
It felt great. It kind of sucked just sitting on the sidelines and watching but it's been a very good learning experience. And to be able to put on a jersey and to actually be able to play again was very exciting for me.
Junior Justine Spann
On how the team is playing, on spreading the ball around and on 11 kills with a .450 hitting percentage
I'm a big energy player so I love having a lot of energy out on the floor and I feel like our team definitely contributed to that a lot. We like to say that Naghede is the hype queen, she likes to make sure we are all boosted up on energy so it was really good to get everyone back out there and the vibes on the court were amazing.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Jenna Ewert: 3 aces, 17 assists, 11 digs.
Brynna DeLuzio: 15 assists, 9 digs
Naghede Abu: 7 kills .462 hitting percentage, 2 blocks
Justine Spann: 11 kills .450 hitting percentage
Alexa Smith: 7 kills
Anyse Smith: 8 kills
Gabby Carta-Samuels: 14 digs
For the first time this season the Buffs were at full force. Senior Naghede Abu was dominate in her season opener, leading the team with a .468 hitting percentage with seven kills. Justine Spann continued her breakout season with a match-high 11 kills and hitting .450. The Smith duo also performed well, as Anyse Smith had eight kills and Alexa Smith had seven.
Freshman setter Jenna Ewert had a career-night, picking up three aces while also posting her third double-double of the season with 17 assists and 11 digs. Brynna DeLuzio added in 15 assists, nine digs and an ace, as well as the match-winning kill.
On the defensive end of the court, Gabby Carta-Samuels returned for the Buffs for the first time in two weeks. She led the team with 14 digs, while also adding in seven assists. Up front, Abu led with a pair of blocks, while Alexa Smith had a solo block and Spann had a block assist. The Buffs dominated the defensive end, holding the Vikings to just a .049 hitting percentage, including tying a season-best .000 opponent hitting percentage in the first set. Only Toni McDougald had a hitting percentage greater than .100 for Portland State at .156.
Tomorrow evenings matchup is looking to be a tightly contested match, as Colorado State swept Indiana State tonight in Fort Collins. The Buffs will need to defend home court against a mob of Rams that will be seeking revenge from last season's comeback defeat in Fort Collins.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET 1: The Buffs charged out to a quick 7-3 lead. The Buffs would go on a seven-point run to 14-4 before the Vikings scored again. Colorado continued to roll, jumping out to a 17-6 lead. The set was quickly a blow out, with the Buffs facing set point at 24-10. CU finished off the first set 25-11. CU was dominate with a .419 hitting percentage in the set, the second-largest of the season. They also held the Vikings to .000 hitting percentage, tying another season-best. Justine Spann led with five kills and a .500 hitting percentage.
SET 2: The second set came out closer, with teams trading points to a 9-8 CU lead. The Buffs went on a four-point run to force a Vikings timeout. Out of the timeout Portland State rallied back to a 13-12 match, though it was short-lived as CU went on a four-point run of its own to get to 17-12 and another PSU timeout. Colorado hit set-point at 24-16, finishing it off with a Naghede Abu kill.
SET 3: With Gabby Carta-Samuels in at libero for the first time in two weeks and Naghede Abu in at middle, the Buffs looked to be at full force for the first time this season. The Vikings came out in the third set looking to not be swept, bringing the score to a 5-4 CU lead. A quick ace from Jenna Ewert and a kill by Alexa Smith showed the Buffs were charging. CU went on an eight-point unanswered run, then kept it going into a 12-1 run with a 17-5 lead. Ewert picked up her third double-double of the season, leading the Buffs to a 22-13 lead as the team was able to begin subbing in everyone on the team. Freshman Taylor deProsse found her first action of the season, notching a dig in the final set. CU hit match point at 24-16, finishing off the match with a kill from setter Brynna DeLuzio.
QUOTABLES:
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney
On having almost entire squad healthy for the first time this season
It was good. It's nice to have Naghede back as that was her first match this season, knocking off some rust and she got better as the match went on, that was really good to see. It was nice to have Danielle Price back, she's been gone for a couple weekends recovering. We are getting back into a rhythm and definitely like you said nice to have everyone back but still working to get better.
On takeaways that are going to be carried on for the rest of the weekend
From tonight's match I thought we served particularly well and kept them out of system quite a bit. I thought we passed very well for the most part, with the offense that we are running right now in the 6-2 especially with Naghede back we have a lot of options. You can see we spread it around. We had one player in double figures with kills which sounds like a bad thing but it's actually a good thing. We have a lot of kids taking swings so it's tough for opposing teams to key on to one player.
On worries and expectations for tomorrows long day and the match against Colorado State
Tournaments like this we have a late night and the quick turn arounds. Get up and watch film and play at 10 that's always tough, and the toughest opponent of the weekend is tomorrow night. But we can't look ahead. Indiana State is a good team, and we will have to play well. Try to manage making sure everyone's fresh for tomorrows match in the morning and then certainly for tomorrow night.
Senior Naghede Abu
On being back out there playing first game back with 7 kills, leading the team in blocks and hitting percentage
It felt great. It kind of sucked just sitting on the sidelines and watching but it's been a very good learning experience. And to be able to put on a jersey and to actually be able to play again was very exciting for me.
Junior Justine Spann
On how the team is playing, on spreading the ball around and on 11 kills with a .450 hitting percentage
I'm a big energy player so I love having a lot of energy out on the floor and I feel like our team definitely contributed to that a lot. We like to say that Naghede is the hype queen, she likes to make sure we are all boosted up on energy so it was really good to get everyone back out there and the vibes on the court were amazing.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Jenna Ewert: 3 aces, 17 assists, 11 digs.
Brynna DeLuzio: 15 assists, 9 digs
Naghede Abu: 7 kills .462 hitting percentage, 2 blocks
Justine Spann: 11 kills .450 hitting percentage
Alexa Smith: 7 kills
Anyse Smith: 8 kills
Gabby Carta-Samuels: 14 digs
Team Stats
PSU
COLO
Kills
23
43
Errors
18
12
Attempts
103
98
Hitting %
.049
.316
Points
32.0
52.0
Assists
20
40
Aces
1
6
Blocks
8.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
11
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
S/L
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
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